Johnson and Waltrip Claim Daytona Front Row
Sunday February 10, 2008
2006 and 2007 Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson will start the official 2008 season from the pole position as he claimed the top starting spot for the 2008 Daytona 500. Last year Michael Waltrip had to race his way into the Daytona 500. This year he is guaranteed the outside of the front row as he was second quickest in today's qualifying.
The rest of the starting lineup for next Sunday's Daytona 500 will be set on Thursday during the Gatorade Duels at Daytona. Based on NASCAR's qualifying rules the top 35 in 2007 car owner points are locked in. Two other drivers are guaranteed a starting spot as Joe Nemechek and David Reutimann were the two fastest non-top 35 drivers.
Confused? Here are the qualifying procedures for the Daytona 500 plus the complete qualifying results from today at NASCAR Online.
Comments
I’m so glad to see Michael Waltrip make the race, and he is on the front row. A great start to a better year for Waltrip racing. Keep up the good work.
Yes, great to see Mikey on the front row. He really needed to get the year started off right, especially after last years issues. I think the issues that happened at 2007 Daytona 500 set the tempo for his team for the year and they never recovered. I hope the humbling experience from last year taught him to appreciate the good times and helps him keep the arrogance in check. He is a great personality, but a couple years ago when he was experiencing success, his ego really tarnished his personality.
No suprise to see Johnson on top but Mikey? Sure goes to show those Toyota engines are making the most out of the horsepower they have and taking advanttage of the new car since everycar is basically the same aero wise.
But now the bigger story to me is front row Joe. Well he’ll be on the front row for his duel anyway. 3rd place and locked in, he made use of that hendrick horsepower.
Your right Jeff, it is a big story with Joe. Heard Kenny Wallace last week trying to explain the Kenny / Joe deal and how Joe would be in if Kenny qualified and Joe did not. Herman did his best, but I was still a little confused. When you go to nascar web site and check out the qualifying, it shows Herman in car #187. I guess thier team figured out it was the motor program, and not the driver.
Waltrip probably won’t even make it off the pole, he’ll find a waay to wreck and wrap himself around it, LOL. What a waste.